Back for more: Garcia credits 2012 title at Wyndham for positive spin

Published: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 12:18 AM.

“We talked him into coming, thank goodness,” Brazil said. “It really turned his year around. I don’t know if he’s going to give us credit, but he found something here.”

In December, Garcia won the Iskandar Johor Open on the Asian Tour.

This year has been solid if not spectacular for Garcia, who tied for 61st place in the PGA Championship, which finished Sunday.

Otherwise, he has played some of his best golf in 2013 in the biggest tournaments, tying for third place in the World Golf Championships, sharing seventh place in the Tampa Bay Championship, and ending knotted for eighth place in both the Masters and in The Players Championship. He tied for 16th place in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

Garcia first played at Sedgefield Country Club as a teenager in 1998 on what was then called the Nike Tour. This marks the fifth time he’ll play in the PGA Tour event in Greensboro.

“I really enjoy the course,” he said. “It’s just a type of golf course that’s asking you to hit a lot of different shots.”

Last year, Garcia didn’t return to defend either of his tournament titles from 2011, both won in his home country.

GREENSBORO — Maybe the best part about Sergio Garcia coming back this week to defend his title in the Wyndham Championship is that he didn’t have to return.

He wanted to.

“I think that winning the Wyndham last year was huge for me to being able to make the (Ryder Cup) team and gain a lot of confidence,” Garcia said.

Anytime a big-name golfer such as Garcia, who tournament director Mark Brazil said he considers among the top five golfers in terms of name recognition internationally, is in the field, it’s a boost.

“The commitment he made to the tournament, I didn’t force it,” Brazil said. “It just kind of happened. I appreciate him coming back because they don’t have to.”

Garcia, 33, said he realized it was important to give a commitment more than a month in advance so the decision could be used by tournament organizers in marketing.

A year ago, there was no such advance notice that Garcia, a Spaniard, would play in the PGA Tour stop at Sedgefield Country Club.

“We talked him into coming, thank goodness,” Brazil said. “It really turned his year around. I don’t know if he’s going to give us credit, but he found something here.”

In December, Garcia won the Iskandar Johor Open on the Asian Tour.

This year has been solid if not spectacular for Garcia, who tied for 61st place in the PGA Championship, which finished Sunday.

Otherwise, he has played some of his best golf in 2013 in the biggest tournaments, tying for third place in the World Golf Championships, sharing seventh place in the Tampa Bay Championship, and ending knotted for eighth place in both the Masters and in The Players Championship. He tied for 16th place in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

Garcia first played at Sedgefield Country Club as a teenager in 1998 on what was then called the Nike Tour. This marks the fifth time he’ll play in the PGA Tour event in Greensboro.

“I really enjoy the course,” he said. “It’s just a type of golf course that’s asking you to hit a lot of different shots.”

Last year, Garcia didn’t return to defend either of his tournament titles from 2011, both won in his home country.

He plays on the PGA Tour and European Tour, so his schedule can be tight.

“This was a little bit challenging,” he said. “I felt like everything Wyndham has done for me. …”

More than four years had passed since Garcia won on U.S. soil until he won last August.

Brazil said the field of golfers is the strongest it has been in several years.

“We have a great tournament on the way,” Brazil said. “We’re going to have our best foot forward.”